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Just had my first bad night in 6 months. I had conditioned myself to my T which is at a very low level, but the genie is out of the bottle again now.

Went to a wedding yesterday. I was so busy fretting about my suit (I don't wear a suit more than once a year!) I forgot all about plugs. It was fine, until there was a band on at the end. They weren't what I'd call loud. If you took ten good paces from the speakers you could hold a conversation at a normal level. I had a little dance and whatnot, but I always kept myself at the back of the floor and took regular breaks away from the noise, figuring it wasn't that loud and I would cope.

When I left i noticed my T had got a bit louder, but figured it would go down again. I've been caught out on odd occasions before, angle grinders, chainsaws nearyby etc, but I hadn't figured on the hotel room I'd booked.

For those not in the UK it's been hot here lately, up to 30C which isn't normal for here. The room I had had no air con, no fans, and the window only opened a couple of inches. It must have topped 40 in there and I couldn't sleep a wink all night. I even toyed with sleeping in my car in the car park. All I could do for hours was listen to my ears ring, and now the genie is out and I can hear it again. Time to start again on the work of not hearing it . 8 months since I started with it seriously, and it's got worse for the second time. I just hope it settles back like it did last time.

Based on what you described (the sound level), I don't think you've caused yourself a permanent increase.

Probably just a spike which subsides soon.

The heat and sleepless night certainly didn't help.

I don't think you need to start from the beginning though. You already know what habituation is, and you should soon be able to return to that state.

Try to shrug yesterday off as quickly as possible, and continue your daily life / routine.

Listen to music, masking tracks, whatever, to keep your mind off tinnitus. You'll only harm yourself if you stay preoccupied with listening to your tinnitus noise and how it may or may not have changed. I know it's easier said than done, but sound enrichment should help with that.

Best wishes,
Markku

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. — Barack Obama

Not that I know that much...but I agree with Markku. You probably will return to your low levels soon. Also, I know not getting enough sleep kicks up levels for me. Get some extra rest now and it should help.

What encourages me about your situation is that you have managed to habituate so well. I hope to be there someday myself. In regards to your spike it seems like a temporary thing, your brain doesn't forget all that habituating in just one night.

I'm pleased it has offered some hope to you. Currently it's really getting to me again, like the days it first started. The level is nowhere near but it's on my mind. I've been working at getting it off my mind these last couple of days, but it's been hard. I tend to leave this forum in an effort to help, and return only when I really suffer again. So far, it's no louder but still as noticeable. I seem to have alot of wax in my ears atm which I know can make it worse, but then so can syringing, so I plan to leave that to a 12 monthly thing.